Prior behavioral experience can reverse the effects of morphine

Abstract

Morphine administration typically decreases responding of squirrel monkeys trained to avoid electric shock. However, the rate-decreasing effects of morphine on avoidance responding were reversed after either concurrent or prior exposure to a condition in which responding was maintained by shock presentation. These findings demonstrate that behavioral experience can play a significant role in, determining the behavioral effects of drugs and that specific types of environmental conditions can completely reverse the usual effects those drugs have on behavior.